Gas Turbine Overview

A gas turbine engine is a type of internal combustion engine. Essentially, the engine can be viewed as an energy conversion device that converts energy stored in the fuel to useful mechanical energy in the form of rotational power. The term “gas” refers to the ambient air that is taken into the engine and used as the working medium in the energy conversion process.

This air is first drawn into the engine where it is compressed, mixed with fuel and ignited. The resulting hot gas expands at high velocity through a series of airfoil-shaped blades transferring energy created from combustion to turn an output shaft. The residual thermal energy in the hot exhaust gas can be harnessed for a variety of industrial processes.

Basic Components

Compressor

The compressor takes in outside air and then compacts and pressurizes the air molecules through a series of rotating and stationary compressor blades.

Combustor

In the combustor, fuel is added to the pressurized air molecules and ignited.
The heated molecules expand and move at high velocity into the turbine section.

Turbine

The turbine converts the energy from the high velocity gas into useful rotational power though expansion of the heated compressed gas over a series of turbine rotor blades.

Output Shaft & Gearbox

Rotational power from the turbine section is delivered to driven equipment through the output shaft via a speed reduction gearbox.

Exhaust

The engine’s exhaust section directs the spent gas out of the turbine section and into the atmosphere.